Louisiana’s first set of July 4 recruiting fireworks is confirmed — just a few miles from in-state SEC power LSU’s campus.
Catholic-Baton Rouge running back Jayden Miles told Louisiana vs. All Y’all he has circled the holiday as his intended date to announce his college commitment.
The Bears’ 6-foot-2, 210-pound backfield bellcow, one of the state’s top 2027 prospects, has official visits set to Florida State the final weekend of May, then Ohio State, LSU and Kentucky the first three weekends of June before sharing his decision two weeks later.
“One thing I can say that stood out to all those schools: I just feel welcome at all those schools. They treat me like family,” he said. “I just like the coaching staff, a very good coaching staff at each one of those schools. I just feel like they’re doing something great with their program.”
LSU has long been considered a favorite for Miles, the No. 10 overall prospect in Louisiana vs. All Y’all’s class rankings.
And while the program’s coaching change this winter meant a recruiting-board shake-up that shifted some prospects’ focus, longstanding familiarity with coach Lane Kiffin, running backs coach Kevin Smith and company has meant for a smooth transition for the local star.
“They’ve been recruiting me since they’ve been at Ole Miss, so the relationship had always been good,” Miles said. “I just feel like I’m excited to see what they’ve been doing with the program. When I went there, you could tell things have changed from the last year they’ve been there. So I’m just really excited to see what they do this season.”
Florida State is another of the programs that has been a mainstay in his recruiting process and remains among his final choices in the wake of some staff changes.
Running backs coach David Johnson left the Seminoles in December to take on the same role at Arkansas, and has since been succeeded by former Tulsa, UFC and Incarnate Word assistant Kam Martin.
Former Catholic-Baton Rouge coach Gabe Fertitta meanwhile returned to Tallahassee, Fla., as director of football strategy after a season as Nicholls State’s offensive coordinator. The New Orleans native and former Holy Cross player previously served as a quality control assistant at Louisville in 2021 and senior offensive analyst at Florida State for three years.
“They were the first to give me an opportunity, which is a blessing, so I just thank them for that every time, so why not do that?” Miles said. “Even though they got a new running back coach, me and (head) coach (Mike) Norvell have always been good guys. We’ve always had a good relationship. And especially with coach Fertitta, he’s always been a good dude too.”
Catholic-Baton Rouge RB Jayden Miles and RB/LB Justin Batiste work through drills together Monday, April 27, 2026, on the first day of spring practices. (Photo: Jerit Roser, Louisiana vs. All Y’all)
Kentucky had previously expressed interest in Miles, but particularly ramped up its pursuit when former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan took the same position in Lexington, Ky., this winter.
“I wouldn’t say they got on me late, but when coach Sloan got there, he offered me, so everything’s just been going good,” Miles said. “I went up there. The visit was good. The staff was amazing. The head coach, coach (Will) Stein, he was amazing. So just being there with those guys, I feel like we have a great relationship.”
And perennial power Ohio State, not traditionally known for recruiting Louisiana, has made a clear push in the state in recent years, including signing Catholic-Baton Rouge safety Blaine Bradford in December.
“One thing I can say with (running backs) coach (Carlos Locklyn), he’s been recruiting me for a while, and that just stuck with me,” Miles said. “He sends me a text every day or we talk every Thursday, so that played a big role. And just being there, when I went there, the team, it’s just amazing the standard they hold. I just feel like that plays a big role in my recruiting, especially the development. You’ve just seen if you look at the (NFL) Draft, they probably had the top guys out of the draft this year and last year too, and that plays a big role.”
Miles looks forward to locking in his college plans this summer ahead of his senior season with the Bears in which he hopes to help lead the program over the semifinal hump, where its suffered back-to-back heartbreakers, and back to Caesars Superdome and its first title since 2023.
“One thing my coach talked about last week is being ‘above the line,’ so as an offense and as a team, I just want all of us to be above the line and being able to play at a higher standard than what we played,” Miles said. “So pushing those guys to be the best. I just want to be on one of the best teams to ever come from Catholic and in the country.”
